Street Fighter Alpha 3

Share.

Insiders: New screenshots of the arcade-to Game Boy Advance port of Capcom's fast-paced fighter.

By IGN Staff

Though Super Street Fighter II is Capcom's fighter focus this year on the Game Boy Advance, the company is set on upping itself with a port of Street Fighter Alpha 3 for the system, a significant graphic and gameplay upgrade from the classic Street Fighter 2 formula. The port is being handled by Crawfish, the same development team responsible for the impressive first person shooter Ecks vs. Sever just released to stores, as well as the Game Boy Color port of the original Street Fighter Alpha..

Street Fighter Alpha 3 will be as close to the Dreamcast, PlayStation and arcade versions as possible on the Game Boy Advance. The portable version will contain both World Tour and Survival modes, as well as offering Versus Mode through the use of a Link Cable and two systems. The Game Boy Advance version will also include the original's fighting modes (Normal, Mazi, Saikyo or Classic) as well as three fighting styles or 'isms'.

The World Tour Mode works with players building up "experience" with each win, as they play in different and exotic locales across the world (much like the old school arcade versions). Only in World Tour Mode, the experience players' earn counts to build up their strength, Isms, and power. As you fight around the world, you'll perform in the standard fights. But as you progress, new kinds of challenges come your way. You might fight two Chun-Lis simultaneously in China, or two Adons in Tailand! And then battle against Gen or Zangief in a battle of survivors. In the Survival fights, you'll have to stay alive and maintain a higher health meter than your opponent or re-start at the level's beginning.

Each time you fight and succeed, you'll earn power-ups and become stronger. Some of the power-ups include Hard Body, Super Defense, Guard Power Plus, Air Guard, Zero Counter Plus, and all sorts of cool new skills. You add on these characteristics in between levels in a keen menu system that's quick and simple to toggle through, according to the next challenger's special skills.

Alpha 3 gives players the choice to pick their super move before the game starts. Not all players liked this rigid set up, but these are different. The X-ism enables the use of one very super powerful Super Combo, Super Street Fighter II X style. In Street Fighter Alpha style, the A-ism provides a handful of Super Combos. And then there is the V-ism, an enhanced custom combo from Street Fighter Alpha 2.

The final product will feature 34 of the familar fighters from the console and arcade games, but it will also include three new combatants exclusive to Game Boy Advance which, as of this date, have yet to be announced.

Capcom has pushed the release of Street Fighter Alpha 3 for the Game Boy Advance to an unannounced release date in 2002. As the game progresses into development we'll have more details on features and gameplay.